MS SB2029

Amends Mississippi Code Section 99-19-101 to add mental retardation as a factor that prohibits imposing a death sentence in capital murder cases.

Requires the jury to unanimously find in writing that the defendant is not a person with mental retardation (if mental retardation was alleged by the defense) before imposing a death sentence.

Defines "mental retardation" as significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with defects in adaptive behavior manifested during the developmental period.

Takes effect July 1, 2016.